What tree species?
Healthy urban trees in our region need to be drought tolerant, sized right for the place they will be planted, and provide shade and other benefits.
Consider these factors:
- How big do you want your tree to be when it is mature?
- What tree form/shape is right for your spot? (Round, weeping, spreading, or upright?)
- How about character, color, and special features? (Evergreen, deciduous, native, flowering, etc.)
- How much time do you have for maintenance?
Kate’s urban forester is working with our local wholesale nursery and local retail nurseries to offer about ten shade trees and six native trees for purchase in late 2022, and the trees under consideration are listed below. More trees suitable for San Diego urban growing conditions are listed in this table of trees. Other trees can be identified by browsing UFEI’s Tree Selection Guide.
Start by choosing the tree size and foliage. Small trees are to be planted in planting space less than 25 feet, medium trees in planting spaces up to 50 feet, and large trees in planting space greater than 50 feet. Measure your planting space. Then check whether you can meet the irrigation and plant hardiness zone requirements. Look up the Western Sunset planting “zone” for your location, in this planting zone map.
Suitable trees have been selected by arborists, grown at local wholesale nurseries, and will be available for purchase in late 2022 at Walter Andersen Nursery at their Old Town location. They are listed in the table below. The mix of species may change but will still be drought-tolerant, easy-to-grow trees, suitable for San Diego’s climate. Click here for tips on going to the nursery and getting your tree.
Native tree suggestions, most available at Moosacreek Nursery
Scientific Name | Common Name | Size |
Chilopsis linearis ‘ Monhews‘ | Desert willow ‘Timeless Beauty’ | small |
Heteromeles arbutifolia | Toyon | small |
Hesperocyparis (Cupressus) forbesii | Tecate cypress | medium |
Prosopis pubescence | Crewbean mesquite | medium |
Prunis ilicifolia subsp. lyonii | Catalina cherry | medium |
Pinus torreyana | Torrey pine | large |
Acer negundo or A. macrophylla | California box elder or big leaf maple | large |
Quercus agrifolia | Coast live oak | large |
Ornamental shade tree selection, examples of trees that will be available in retail nurseries in 2022-23.
Scientific Name | Common Name | Drought Tolerance and Evergreen-Deciduous | Size |
Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ | Eastern redbud | good, deciduous | small |
Cercis occidentalis | Western redbud | good, deciduous | small |
Eriobatrya deflexa | Bronze loquat | moderate, evergreen | small |
Lagerstromia indica | Crape myrtle | good, deciduous | small |
Albizzia julibrissin | Mimosa | good, evergreen (deciduous w/frost) | medium |
Arbutus x ‘Marina’ | Strawberry tree | good, evergreen | medium |
Olea europaea ‘Wilsonii’ | Fruitless olive tree | very good | medium |
Lophostemon confertus | Brisbane box | good, evergreen | large |
Jacaranda mimosifolia | Jacaranda | good, semi-deciduous | large |
Magnolia grandiflora | Southern magnolia | good, evergreen | large |